Yesterday I turned a sweet foster dog in to a rescue center. When I met him, all I knew was I needed to get him out of there. I saw in his eyes heavy caution and strong self possession. I saw within this quiet boy an unnamable, noble something... For a week or so, I fell in love with him.
I named him Nashoba (Chocktaw for wolf), what is more noble than a wolf? He came with heavy baggage that took time for him to consider leaving it at the door. But, he did. He found a way to break through severe self defense that made in dangerous to play with him and in the least a nuisance to feed him or eat in his company. He nearly jumped on my counter where he smelled the presence of tiny bits of the idea or memory of food. He pushed sharply when I went toward the obvious food bin. He tried standing in front of the bin to demonstrate his ownership. He snapped my hand severely, not puncturing my hand by bruising it and leaving it tender for a few days. He attempted to drag and twirl me when he had a leash attached. He had what I consider anti-leash skills. He had no noticeable house manners except to not soil in the house. Not very noble traits.. tho, if he were a wolf, my notion of those qualities would have been very different. I would not expect or hope even that a wolf or hybrid for that matter to have those subtle points of awareness that our domestic dogs learn well.
Nashoba learned in a few days that no food came to him until he chose (on his own accord), to restrain himself. At no point did I ask him to sit, stay, go lie down or get away. I did however speak to him non-verbally. I was immovable on my point. I was happy to feed him good food once he slowed down and thought through the equation and made a choice that was favorable. He opted to go into and lay down in his crate. The first meal took him 45 minutes to obtain. But, smart boy that he is, each meal he dramatically cut that time back by coming to the ideal conclusion increasingly rapid.
By day 3 or 4 he cut the time to one third his first night's time. In addition he was learning a ton of other details about the benefits of self restraint and why humans are valuable even fun, helpful and comforting when they are around and engaged with him.
My life has changed dramatically since I last wrote. I've lost my strength and confidence in myself after a life altering spinal injury. In fact, I had injured vertebra for a long time but in 2015 a series of incidents caused a sudden slam into a whole new life. 5 herniations (sacrum, lumbar and thoracic all impacted) and advanced degenerative disc disease that includes severe damage to C6, C7 with bone spurs to complicate matters forced me to make an unexpected turn in my journey. 3 years later my dad was struck down in a crosswalk in Norristown. That year, my dear boy Yona faced off with a long series of life threatening medical issues that were colored with auto-immune disorders that blossomed like a deadening sickness in my sweet prince turned king. I buried him a year ago in December. I found Nashoba 12 months and 4 days later.
It took about two weeks to get him to realize there ARE good humans. He helped me realize I was no longer the bold woman who once worked with aggressive dogs. He and I needed a different scenario. He needed a bolder human who was still kind and clear and consistent with healthy, predictable boundaries and non confrontational but powerful responses to the moments when he went off the map in his thinking. That person needs a controlled environment to get him through the next wave of challenge that will help him find a way to be a whole, calm, clear dog one day.
I see now, I did what my initial impulse was, to help him get clear enough to find a better home than what I can provide. A trusted animal communicator helped me get inside his mind where I discovered most my instincts were spot on. Those that weren't clear were brought into the light and a day later, I was flooded by the truth of my limits with this type of character at this point in my life. I am grateful we had the time we did and I was able to stand next to this powerful boy long enough to watch him grow clear, tender and not only absolutely trusted but thoroughly enjoyed in our shared space.
In this position of greater clarity, I think its still early for my next forever dog and I have much to learn as I dive deeper into this new phase of my life. Its new horizons for Nashoba and me. I hope he feels the gift of our time. I was graced with a great GSD rescue center by the gift of grace or synchronicity. However you define, I am grateful. I was impressed and got great feedback from dog pros just how well respected this facility is in finding, rehabbing, rehoming the beautiful, powerful, intense German Shepherd Dog breed. Certainly that is better than where I found him in north Philly one of the more challenged shelters found in any big city.
Prayers for my dear friend Nashoba. He deserves a leg up to the next tier in his journey. He showed remarkable trust in me in so little time thanks to the force free practices and patient hands that have helped many dogs that I've been blessed to discover. I'm holding to happy endings.
I named him Nashoba (Chocktaw for wolf), what is more noble than a wolf? He came with heavy baggage that took time for him to consider leaving it at the door. But, he did. He found a way to break through severe self defense that made in dangerous to play with him and in the least a nuisance to feed him or eat in his company. He nearly jumped on my counter where he smelled the presence of tiny bits of the idea or memory of food. He pushed sharply when I went toward the obvious food bin. He tried standing in front of the bin to demonstrate his ownership. He snapped my hand severely, not puncturing my hand by bruising it and leaving it tender for a few days. He attempted to drag and twirl me when he had a leash attached. He had what I consider anti-leash skills. He had no noticeable house manners except to not soil in the house. Not very noble traits.. tho, if he were a wolf, my notion of those qualities would have been very different. I would not expect or hope even that a wolf or hybrid for that matter to have those subtle points of awareness that our domestic dogs learn well.
Nashoba learned in a few days that no food came to him until he chose (on his own accord), to restrain himself. At no point did I ask him to sit, stay, go lie down or get away. I did however speak to him non-verbally. I was immovable on my point. I was happy to feed him good food once he slowed down and thought through the equation and made a choice that was favorable. He opted to go into and lay down in his crate. The first meal took him 45 minutes to obtain. But, smart boy that he is, each meal he dramatically cut that time back by coming to the ideal conclusion increasingly rapid.
By day 3 or 4 he cut the time to one third his first night's time. In addition he was learning a ton of other details about the benefits of self restraint and why humans are valuable even fun, helpful and comforting when they are around and engaged with him.
My life has changed dramatically since I last wrote. I've lost my strength and confidence in myself after a life altering spinal injury. In fact, I had injured vertebra for a long time but in 2015 a series of incidents caused a sudden slam into a whole new life. 5 herniations (sacrum, lumbar and thoracic all impacted) and advanced degenerative disc disease that includes severe damage to C6, C7 with bone spurs to complicate matters forced me to make an unexpected turn in my journey. 3 years later my dad was struck down in a crosswalk in Norristown. That year, my dear boy Yona faced off with a long series of life threatening medical issues that were colored with auto-immune disorders that blossomed like a deadening sickness in my sweet prince turned king. I buried him a year ago in December. I found Nashoba 12 months and 4 days later.
It took about two weeks to get him to realize there ARE good humans. He helped me realize I was no longer the bold woman who once worked with aggressive dogs. He and I needed a different scenario. He needed a bolder human who was still kind and clear and consistent with healthy, predictable boundaries and non confrontational but powerful responses to the moments when he went off the map in his thinking. That person needs a controlled environment to get him through the next wave of challenge that will help him find a way to be a whole, calm, clear dog one day.
I see now, I did what my initial impulse was, to help him get clear enough to find a better home than what I can provide. A trusted animal communicator helped me get inside his mind where I discovered most my instincts were spot on. Those that weren't clear were brought into the light and a day later, I was flooded by the truth of my limits with this type of character at this point in my life. I am grateful we had the time we did and I was able to stand next to this powerful boy long enough to watch him grow clear, tender and not only absolutely trusted but thoroughly enjoyed in our shared space.
In this position of greater clarity, I think its still early for my next forever dog and I have much to learn as I dive deeper into this new phase of my life. Its new horizons for Nashoba and me. I hope he feels the gift of our time. I was graced with a great GSD rescue center by the gift of grace or synchronicity. However you define, I am grateful. I was impressed and got great feedback from dog pros just how well respected this facility is in finding, rehabbing, rehoming the beautiful, powerful, intense German Shepherd Dog breed. Certainly that is better than where I found him in north Philly one of the more challenged shelters found in any big city.
Prayers for my dear friend Nashoba. He deserves a leg up to the next tier in his journey. He showed remarkable trust in me in so little time thanks to the force free practices and patient hands that have helped many dogs that I've been blessed to discover. I'm holding to happy endings.
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